Dustproof connecter



Nov. 7, 1933. H HUBBELL, 1-R, 1,933,592

DUsTPHooF coNNEcTER Filed'sept'. 30, 1951 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,933,592 DUs'rPRooF CONNECTER Harvey Hubbell, Jr., Bridgeport, Conn.

Application September 30, 1931 lSerial No. 566,048

Claims.

This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in electrical connecters and has for an object the providing of a dust proof connecter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dust proof electrical connecter adapted to be used in connection with a plug and which is selfsealingagainst the entrance of dirt and dust and which automatically seals as the plug is removed lfrom the connecter whereby to confine the arc to the interior of the connecter and snuff out the arc immediately the plug leaves the connecter whereby the connecter may be safely used in an explosive atmosphere as in a garage, our mill, paper `mill or the like. l

A further object is to provide a connecter which is unbreakable and therefore especially tted for use in factories, garages or the like where the connecter will suffer abuse as by being dropped 'on concrete floors and the like.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the inventan is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not confined to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope-of the appended claims to which claims reference is to be had for a definition of the invention.

. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section as shown by the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved connecter;

Fig. 4 is a oottomplan View of the'improved connecter; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an insert. l

Referring in detail to the drawing the conneoter as disclosed includes a body 8 formed of live rubber or other resilient material and a cover or closure member 7 formed of a similar material. The body 6 may have the desired exterior` configuration and interiorly the body is provided with recesses or passages 8 and 9 opening through the inner side or end of the body as clearly shown in Fig. l and separated or spaced from one another as by the portion 10 of the body.

To the inner side or end of the body is aixed an insert 1l of a relatively stiff electrical insulating material as for example Bakelite or other phenolic condensation product. Inserted through spacedA openings in the insert .11 are hollow rivets 12 having their end portionsoverturned as shown and oneend portion of each rivet is rolled over onto an end portion 13 of a spring contact 14 which contacts pass through the respective openings 15 and 16 in the insert 11 and aredisposed in the passages 8 and 9 before referred to.

Through each of the rivets 12 is threaded at binding post or screw 17 and through the wall 18 of the cover member 7 there is an opening 19 for the passage of a rubber covered cable or the like adapted to have its respective` wires connected with-the binding posts 17. It will be noted that the cover 7 is more or less hollow or that it has a transverse groove 7a whereby to provide for the reception of the heads of the binding posts and to also accommodate the lead wires to said posts. The cover 7 is shown as secured to the body 6 as by moulding metal inserts 20 into the cover and passing screws 21 through the body and the insulating insert 11 and into the metal inserts 20 all as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

If desired the outer surface of the wall 18 of the cover may be provided with oppositely extending grooves 22 and 23 for the reception ofthe extensions 24 of cable clamps 25. A metal plate 26 is preferably secured tothe cover '7 in position to extend over the grooves 22 and 23 and the portions 24 of the clamps whereby to secure the clamps tothe cover. Each of the clamps has a pair of oppositely extending ears 27 and 28 and through these ears are threaded screws 29 adapted to draw the clamps toward one another to have them engage a cable whereby any pull on the cable will be taken up'by the clamps and will not be transmitted to the connection betweenA the cable and binding screws or posts.

The entrances to the passages or recesses 8 and 9 are indicated at 30 and each entrance atthe outer side of the body is substantially V-shaped or wedge-shaped asl clearly shown in Fig. 1.

However, it will be noted that the wedge-shapedI entrances 30 do not extend into the passages 8 and 9 but terminate short of the passages, a cutoi between the entrances and the passages being formed by slitting the body to provide oppositely extending resilient portions'Bl. These portions 3l slightly overlap and normally tend to move into overlapping or abutting relationship whereby to close onc communication between the passages 8 and 9 and the entrances 30. I y

At 32 and 33 are shown the contact blades of a conventional plug or cap and it will be understood that these blades are adapted to enter the connecter and engage the spring contacts 14 therein, it being understood that one end' of a cable leading to the |-binding screws or posts 17 is adapted to be plugged into a suitable outlet and that the plug or cap carrying the blades 32 and 33 is adapted to be connected with an electrically operated machine, or the like. The contact blades 32 and 33 may be disposed in the respective entrances 30 and uhe contacts may then be portions move into engagement with each other,

and thus seal the connecter against the entrance of dirt and dust. Also, any arc formed between the blades 32 and 33 and the spring contacts 14 will be cut off or snuffed out by the coming together of the portions 31 of the body. Thus it will be seen that there is a safety feature in the present connecter and that it is adapted to be used in an explosive atmosphere since any arc created between the blades 32 and 33 and the contacts 14 is confined to the interior of the connecter.

Since the body 6 and cover or closure '7 of the connecter are each formed of live rubber or other resilient and yielding material it will be apparent that the connecter is adapted to withstand rough treatment. The connecter may be used in garages, factories or Athe like and dropped or kicked about on hard and dirty floors without the connecter becoming broken and without dirt or dust entering into the connecter. Also, since the body and particularly the portions 31 thereof are of resilient material, as live rubber, it willbe apparent that these portions may be easily forced apart to admit of the insertion of the blades o1' a plug or cap and that these portions will immediately move toward each other and to overlapping and abutting relationship on the withdrawal of the contact blades from the connecter.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, a contact in said body, said body having an entrance for the passage of a contact blade of a plug or cap whereby said blade may be engaged with the contact in the body, and said entrance comprising a slit in the material of the body whereby owing to the resilience of the material of the body the said entrance to the contact is normally closed.

2. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, a Contactin said body, said body having an entrance for the passage of a contact blade of a plug or cap whereby said blade may be engaged with the contact in the body, and said entrance comprising a slit inthe material of the body whereby owing to the resiliency of the material of the body the entrance is normally` closed by engagement of the material of the body at each side of the slit.

3. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, a contact in said body, said body having an entrance for the passage of a contact blade of a plug or cap whereby said blade may be engaged with the contact in the body, said entrance comprising a substantially V-shaped notch in the surface of the body and a slit in the material of the body'at the apex of the notch and leading to the interior of the body, whereby rowing to the resilience of the material of the body f' the said entrance to the contact is normally closed.

4. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having a passage therein, an insert of relatively stiff insulating' material in said body, a contact carried by said insert and disposed in said passage to be engaged by a contact blade of a plug, said passage having a normally closed entrance end for the insertion of the contact blade on displacement of a portion of the material of the body, whereby the material of the body shifts to close said entrance end on the contact blade being withdrawn from the passage.

5. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having a passage opening through one end thereof, a cover closing the open end of the passage, a contact in the passage, said body having an entrance to the passage at `the end of the body opposite the cover, and the resilient material of the body normally closing the entrance to said passage.

6. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having a passage therein, an insert of relatively stiff insulating material in the body, a-contact carried by said insert and disposed in said passage to be engaged by a contact blade of a plug, said passage having an entrance end for the entrance of a contact blade, said body including a portion normally closing said entrance against dust, and said portion displaceable by said contact blade to permit o 1nsertion of the latter into said passage.

'7. In an `electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having passages therethrough, an insert of relatively stiff insulating material secured against one end of said body, said body having a pair of spaced passages with their entrances at the end of the body opposite the insert, contacts carried by the insert and extend'ng into said passages, binding screws on the contacts, a cover secured to the body and enclosing the binding screws, contacts and inserts, and said entrances comprising slits in the material of the body whereby owing to the resilience of the material of the body the said entrances are normally closed.

8. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having passages therethrough, an insert of relatively stiff insulating' material secured against one end of said body, said body having a pair of spaced passages with theirentrances at the end of the body opposite the insert, contacts carried by the insert and extending into said passages, and said entrances to the passages includ'ng slits in the body whereby owing to the resiliency of the material of the body the entrances are normally closed.

9. In an electrical connecter, a body of resilient material, said body having passages therein, an insert of relatively stff insulating material at one end of the body, contacts carriedby said insert andl extending into said passages, said body having entrances to said passages, a hollow cover member disposed against the end of the body and over the insert, sa'd cover having threaded inserts therein, and means passing through the body and insert of insulating material and threaded into the inserts in the coverl whereby to secure the parts together.

10. In an electrical connecter, a body of yieldable resilent material, said body having a passage therein leading from an outer wall of the bodyf for entrance of the blade of an attachment plug cap, a contact within the body to be engaged by said blade, said lpassagenormally closed by the material of said body whereby a portion of the material of the body is displaced on insertion of said blade and shifts to close said passage outwardly of the contact when the blade is withdrawn. Y

HARVEY HUBBELL, JR. 

